Creative Space to fit the Culture for an Austin Home Grown Startup

Our sincere congratulations to our neighbors, Red Velvet Events, who have recently acquired a standalone retail building which will be remodeled and by the end of 2017 will be their new headquarters! I think the design for the space is compelling and reflects the kind of creative company they are. Even better, it is situated near Austin’s only commuter train line, only a couple of stops from Downtown, and in the thick of an area that is being gradually revitalized.

“All of the pieces started to click—it’s an opportunity to revitalize an empty building in my neighborhood and truly own the design and feel of my company’s workspace. The prominent address on North Lamar is the cherry on top,” said Lo, who founded Red Velvet Events in 2002.

Red Velvet Events has hired architect Scott Magic of MAGIC Architecture and DKC Construction Group for the project. Lo’s vision for the building includes changing the red brick façade to an all-glass front to let in more natural light and turning a back parking area, dubbed the “backyard,” into a comfortable space to work.

The company is targeting late 2017 to move 25 employees from its current office at Plaza 7000 (7000 North Mopac Expressway).

For those who don’t know, Red Velvet Events is my wife Cindy Lo’s business. While I may be biased, in my opinion they are the best event planning firm in Austin. They have more experience throwing events for tech companies in Austin than anyone, and they really pride themselves on relating to Tech companies and getting the zeitgeist of what people want out of an event in Austin. BP3 is a demanding customer, and every year Red Velvet Events does a fantastic job with our BPMCAMP conference.

Moreover, I’m proud that Red Velvet Events is a successful local business and I like how they’re investing in our market by building out their HQ. The old building is a bit of an eyesore on Lamar Blvd, but the new facade will be a huge upgrade.

Red Velvet Events is a great example of the kind of startups that don’t get treated as startups in common literature on the subject, but should be. When you walk away from a high paying career to start a business that will feed the families of 25 people one day, you’ve started something special. Couldn’t be prouder of Cindy and her team at RVE, and I’m sure the rest of BP3 feels the same way.

We’ll miss having Red Velvet Events in our building, but hopefully they’ll invite us over for happy hour!